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We decided check out Sonoma area since we were out there for the Infineon Raceway. We've been to many wineries in Napa but we've never really gone to Sonoma area. Thanks to yelp, the most popular ones were in downtown area. I was so excited to check out Baksheesh - FAIR TRADE, HAND MADE & DECENT PRICE. I was crazy about their earrings but I decided to browse around. Soon I found cute dresses for little ones. Handmade baskets, scarfs, toys... you name it! They have everything handmade. So beautiful! Some are not cheap but I would say it's worth it. It was Sunday so we had to head home - work day Monday! My hubby promised me to come back here again & bought an earring for me. The coolest thing was that they offered chocolate if I don't take a bag. =) What a great idea!
I love this place. I wish I live here =)
By the way, the downtown was beautiful, especially the park in the middle which reminded me of east cost.
I come here for the jewelry (its reasonable and super cute), the trivets (they're made of magazine pages and are really neat-o), and the scarves (they're made from alpaca fur or something and are so warm and soft).
Baksheesh is socially responsible shopping, too, since they're fair trade. I like how they offer you a chocolate if you don't use a bag for your purchase.
Great spot for an usual gift that won't tap the bank account. I stop here regularly before Christmas to stock up on presents for others (and maybe one or two for me.)
Form, function and fair trade.
What? We've never written a review about this place we have visited so often and have purchased a lot of great gifts and housewares from? Handsome and thoughtful selection of fair trade goods from all around the world. Managers have fantastic eye. Give yourself extra time to browse and make sure to stop by throughout the year. Friendly staff.
Fabulous!! I literally wanted to buy EVERYTHING!!
When you walk into the store directly to your right will be a section of hand-made stationary. This isn't your everyday, boring, average kind of stationary, this stationary is made from elephant dung...yep you heard me - elephant dung. They're called "Ellie Pooh". It's incredible, each card has a unique design. My friend bought one and instead of giving it to someone she's going to keep it for herself and frame it. That's how awesome they are.
The jewelry section is phenomenal. Earrings, cuff bracelets, necklaces and rings. They have it all. The prices vary between $3 to $30.
My favorite part was when I bought my earrings the girl at the register asked me if I would like a bag or a chocolate! How great, right? Of course I went for the chocolate...screw the bag!
I was really looking forward to checking this place out and I'm so glad I did. Now every time I'm in dwntwn Sonoma, I'll have to swing by.
Great store. Unusual stuff.
Generally, such places have standard fare and items for sale. But this place has very unique gifts. I saw many unique items from India, which I've never seen in India.
Its a great place to do some guiltless shopping, as it helps people in other countries.
This is a wonderful place to buy interesting, fair trade gifts - from art to glassware, jewelry, baby gifts, etc.I love that you get the story behind so many of the pieces here and are directly supporting artisans around the world. By shopping here, you are helping ensure they get safe working conditions and fair wages for their beautiful work. The shop is surprisingly reasonable and it sure feels better than buying yet another gift from a Macy's or Crate and Barrel registry and it will certainly be a more unique, memorable gift for the recipient.
I found a beautiful handmade scarf from Nepal for a friend and treated myself to the best book ever, "The Better World Shopping Guide." This is my favorite book ever - it shows you exactly what brands you should and shouldn't be supporting in your everyday purchases - from crackers to cosmetics, pizzas to pickles, airlines to banks. Thanks to Baksheesh and the wonderful book I found there, my consumer spending will never be the same.
Baksheesh is a great place for finding exotic gifts from around the world. There are Nativity scenes from places as diverse as Peru, the Middle East, and the Philippines. If you bring your own bag or decide to carry your product out on your own,you get FREE CHOCOLATE. There are great Fair Trade chocolate bars and hot cocoa. It's also a great place to get world music. It's a small world after all!
Great fair trade retailer that sells items made by people in developing countries. Lots of jewelry, purses, rugs, etc. The back room contained interesting toys, nativity and Christmas items...one I remember was a wooden card that when opened contained a carved nativity scene.
I purchased a unique necklace of turquoise, green and navy disks made in the Philippines. I liked that you can choose a shopping bag or receive a small chocolate bar! Chocolate for me; necklace was wrapped in tissue and went down in my purse!
Kind of a small store. Although it's all on one level, someone in a wheelchair may find it difficult to squeeze through.
12062007 Update:
- FABULOUS ornaments in stock! Other great purchases made today include: Cylinder basket made in Bangladesh ($7!); Textile hanger ($18). They also have a wonderful selection of jewelry and children's toys and books. I WILL drive to Sonoma just to visit this store alone. Three rooms of fun shopping!
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Great store with handcrafted gifts from the "developing world." They're a fair trade retailer and their prices are incredibly affordable.
You'll definitely find unique gift items here. There's something about the political correctness of being a fair trade establishment that makes it quite easy to shop here - even if you know you really don't 'need' anything...
It's Spring Fashion Season!
This is the store to go for inexpensive, unique colorful jewelry from developing countries. This past weekend was my second visit to this great store. I got a pair of cute glass earrings from Chile and a funky chunky necklace from India. The earrings were $6 and the necklace was $18. FABULOUS prices!!! I just bought a necklace from Lucky Jeans for $40 a couple days ago, and feeling a good deal of buyers remorse right now. Oh Oh Oh, I got a small piece of organic dark chocolate at the register. It was awesome.
Great little gift store on the Sonoma square. Products are handmade and free-trade and surprisingly well-priced. I came away with a handful of Christmas ornaments and a pile of earrings and some beautiful handmade greeting cards.
Excellent products from "developing" countries. Some quirky stuff, but why they don't have the Man with Barrel?
Some items were pricey, but they have a great selection.
Kinda small space so you might touch cheeks with other browsers.
They support fair trade.
Generally friendly staff.
Every time I visit Sonoma (at least once a year), I have to go to this gem of a shop. Perfect place for getting small and inspired gifts for any occasion. Purses, scarves, jewelery, cards, toys, pottery, knicknacks... the list goes on. So much love for Baksheesh!
It's an adorable shop in a row of boutiques. The items featured in here are mainly those from third-world countries and you can find a lot of unique accessories and jewelry from all over the world. A great place to go gift shopping. And if you opt out of a shopping bag, they reward you with a piece of chocolate.
Cool shop! I was pleasantly surprised by the prices and felt doubly good for helping out all those third world artisans with the fair trade bit. The place has a wall full of awesome and unusual jewelry, plus a lot of decorative items for the home. Lots of clever little things - and where else can you get elephant dung paper? The shop itself is in a historic Monterey Colonial style adobe on Sonoma's main square. Great place.
Ordinary, every day store:
Paper or Plastic?
Baksheesh:
Bag or fair trade, organic chocolate?
Need I say more? Chocolate, please!!!
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